The Blackest Night
by davisk
Summary: When ancient houses hold the real power in the Wizarding World, Sirius Black's son and heir Orion Black reveals a more complex and dangerous world to Harry Potter, the heir to the most Ancient and Noble House of Potter. Harry will have rely on his friends to learn to thrive if he wishes to survive the oncoming storm. And Orion has secrets of his own...
1. Chapter 1

The dog sat back on its haunches, hidden by the overgrown bushes. The smell of _pup_ _pack protect_ surrounded him, and he quivered in excitement for the first time in years. He had searched for weeks for his pup, and wanted nothing more than to see him. But the voice in his head, the one that faded over the years spent in the place full of _pain, no no please I'm sorry it's all my fault no plea-_ told him to stay back. That the pup wouldn't know him. He just needed to see him before going to look for the traitor.

Just one look.

The dog inched forward, careful not to make any noise. The pup stood on the other side of the road. He smelled of fear and anger, the dog could hear his heartbeat pounding wildly in his chest. Without meaning to, the dog whined. The pup whirled around and looked at the dog hiding under the bushes. As soon as they locked eyes, the dog fell back, broken bits of memories flooding him.

 _James introducing him to his son, Lily laughing at his hesitancy. Remus smiling at him, passing him a butterbeer as James and Lily left them to babysit. Looking down at his_ godson _, feeling a fear so deep and primal it terrified him. The feeling of being wanted, being a part of a_ family _-_

Family.

More memories came to him and he retreated further into the bushes, whining pitifully as they overwhelmed him.

 _A laughing girl with honey brown eyes, leaning over to kiss him. Handing him a small bundle at St. Mungo's. Looking down to see a tuft of black hair and bright gray eyes looking up at him. A son. Broken, scattered moments with them as he fought a war._

 _His father looked at him over the table in a dingy bar off of Diagon Alley. He gave him a sack of coins, saying, "Here, this should tie you and Charlotte over for another month. Let me know if it's not enough. How is the baby doing? He's due in a month, yes?"_

" _She's fine, Father. The baby keeps her up at night moving around, but she says that it's worth it in the end. She doesn't like the hiding though. Neither do I, if I'm honest." He said._

" _I know," his father said. "But the Dark Lord is gaining power, and he already ensnared one of my sons, not to mention your cousins. I refuse to give him any more members of House Black. And if your mother found out? Do you really want your heir to be at her mercy?" They both shuddered. "I'm moving you to France. The House has a small cottage that not many know of. You'll be safe there until the war is over."_

" _Father, I cannot abandon James. He's naming me the godfather of his child, I must be here." He said firmly, "I have to fight against the Dark Lord, I refuse to simply allow him to murder any magicals as he so pleases! It goes against what we stand for!"_

 _His father looked at him with pride. "I know, son. But your wife isn't safe here; not from anyone. I'm not sure what Dumbledore would do with her, and I don't trust your Order with the life of the future Heir Black. So, she will go to France," his father held up a hand to stop him from interrupting, "while you stay here to ensure they have a future. I've set up an account with the Paris branch of Gringotts. She won't want for anything."_

" _Thank you, Father."_

The memories faded. The dog stood up and shook his fur. With one last look at his pup, his godson, Sirius Black turned away and headed further south, to France. He had to find his son. His heir.


	2. Chapter 2

Orion wanted to pace. He stood off to the side, next to the doors to the Great Hall, waiting for Headmaster Dumbledore to announce him. He wanted to be sorted, wanted to sit at the Gryffindor table and prove to them that he was better than what his Family was known for. But pacing was undignified, his mother told him, and so he waited impatiently, leaning against the wall fingering his black tie. He saw a group of people approaching and moved back into the shadows, preferring to watch without being noticed. He saw Professor McGonagall, the woman his mother had talked to in order for him to be transferred to Hogwarts, and a woman who was dressed as a Mediwitch. Behind them were two students who were arguing quietly. As they got closer, Orion realized that one of the students was Harry Potter.

McGonagall ushered the students into the hall quickly, before Orion could hear their conversation. She turned to him and said, "Mr. Black, if you could follow me. The Sorting has just finished, and the Headmaster would like to introduce you."

Orion nodded and followed her into the Great Hall. As soon as he entered, the Headmaster stood up, saying "Attention students! The Sorting has not finished quite yet. We have a transfer student from Beauxbatons coming into his third year. May I introduce you all to Mr. Orion Black!"

The students had started muttering amongst themselves once the Headmaster started his speech, but the Hall went silent once he said Orion's last name. Orion himself wasn't surprised. He knew what his Father had done, how he was viewed by Magical Britain. He was somewhat isolated from it at Beauxbatons, but he was warned that once he came to Hogwarts, he would have no such luxury. He looked around the room as he walked up to the stool where the Sorting Hat was placed. Many of the students had looks of distrust on them. _No surprises there,_ he thought. Up at the head table, the professors gave him varying looks of pity and sadness. One of the professors, dressed in shabby looking robes, looked shocked. Another, who Orion simply _knew_ was Severus Snape, looked disgusted. _I'm going to want to avoid_ him _at all costs_ , Orion thought.

He got to the stool, and all other thoughts left him as the Hat was placed on his head.

" _Well, well, well,"_ the Sorting Hat said to Orion. " _Another son of House Black, how surprising. Where to put you?"_

" _I want to go to Gryffindor,"_ Orion thought _, "Like my Father before me."_

" _How sentimental. But is that where you belong? I see a strong sense of honor within you, a desire to do what is right. But you are only brave when it suits you, not very Gryffindorish at all. A love of books, but no love of knowledge for knowledge's sake. No, Ravenclaw wouldn't suit you at all."_

" _I want to be brave, though,"_ Orion thought desperately, _"That must count for something. Put me in Gryffindor."_

" _No, no, no that won't do at all. You're here for a reason, aren't you? There's a plan in place. That'll take a lot of cunning to pull off you know. Lots of ambition as well."_

" _No, no, put me in Gryffindor, please, you don't understand I need to go to-"_

" _Better be_ SLYTHERIN!"

As Orion pulled the Hat off, he heard the Sorting Hat say faintly, _"Good luck, Heir Black."_

Orion looked out at the Hall as students started whispering again. He noticed that there were more looks of distrust than before, especially from the Gryffindor table. Orion made his way over to the Slytherin table. Once he got there, a few students moved so that he could sit.

As soon as he sat down, a pug-nosed girl imperiously asked, "Are you truly a Black?"

Orion nodded. "Yes," he said. "I am Heir Black." The students surrounding him gaped. The blond sitting across from him paled dramatically. Orion smirked at him, thinking _"I wouldn't be surprised to see an owl carrying a frantically written letter tonight. The Malfoy's won't be happy at all to read their darling heir's missive"_. Turning to the girl again, he said, "It is a pleasure to meet you, Lady?"

"Pansy Parkinson, at your service." She replied. She looked at Malfoy, and moved several inches away from him. Malfoy still looked as if he wasn't breathing.

"Heir Blaise Zabini, Heir Black," The dark-skinned boy sitting next to him said. "It is an honor to meet you. If I may ask, why did you go to Beauxbaton's instead of Hogwarts?"

Orion shrugged slightly. "My mother's family has gone to Beauxbaton's since its creation. She simply had me follow in their footsteps, despite my desire to go to Hogwarts. But, as you all know, my Father escaped from Azkaban and all of his sightings have had him moving south to France. My mother is worried, and doesn't think that Beauxbatons has enough protections in place to keep him out. She believes that Hogwarts, and Dumbledore specifically, does. And so, I am here."

The questions died down once the food appeared on the table, but many of the Slytherins were eyeing him. Orion ignored them for the most part, only partaking in conversation with the students directly next to him. Zabini, he found, was very observant, quietly giving him information on the other students. " _He'll be useful"_ Orion thought. He steadfastly ignored the head table where he could feel the heated glare Professor Snape was giving him.

He tried to catch the eyes of Harry Potter throughout the feast, but the boy kept ignoring him. Orion gave up when the redhead next to him glared at him hatefully.

Eventually, the feast ended. As the students stood, Orion rushed to the front doors, hopeful to catch Potter before he left the Hall.

Once Orion saw him, he walked over to him and bowed slightly, "Heir Potter."

Harry, surrounded by Gryffindors, paused. "I'm sorry, what? Why did you call me Heir Potter?"

Orion paused. "You are the Heir to the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter," he said hesitantly. "No one should address you otherwise unless you give permission."

The redhead next to him coughed loudly. "Don't listen to him, Harry. He's talking about stuffy pureblood traditions. That stuff doesn't matter."

Orion glared at him, and he was pleasantly surprised other Gryffindors were as well. "Of course it matters, those traditions are what our society is built upon," Orion said. He turned to Harry, who was looking lost. "Please, Heir Potter. I ask that we talk," he looked at the redhead who was quickly turning purple, "preferably without an audience."

"I'm not sure," Harry replied, "your father-"

"I am not my father, Heir Potter. I do not remember him, nor do I wish to. He dishonored the Black Family with his betrayal of your Family. I want to be better than him, and I wish to start by making amends with you. Please, may we talk?"

"Um sure, Heir Black." Harry said hesitantly.

Orion smiled and bowed slightly. "Tomorrow then? After class?" At Harry's nod, Orion turned and walked back towards Blaise Zabini who was waiting for him outside the Hall.

"I'm supposed to show you to the Common Room. What was all that about, Heir Black?" he asked. "There are those in Slytherin who would look down at you for talking with the Gryffindor Golden Boy."

"Simply making allies," Orion said lightly. "Why have the Boy-Who-Lived as an enemy when he can be a friend? Surely the Slytherins will understand that. Oh, and call me Orion. It would be nice to have a friend in the Snake-Pit."

Blaise looked at him appraisingly. After a moment, he said. "Very true, Orion. Call me Blaise."

Together they walked down to the dungeons, Orion bracing himself for the confrontation he knew was coming.


	3. Chapter 3

The third-year boy's dormitory in the Gryffindor Tower was chaos. Ron Weasley stood in the center of the room, screaming about slimy snakes, evil Blacks, and stuffy purebloods who looked down on everyone. Harry Potter sat on his bed, looking down, not wanting Ron's attention on him anymore than it already was. Neville Longbottom stood near the door, glaring at Ron with his arm's crossed. The other two third-year boys, Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan, had long since fled, neither wanting to endure Ron's rant any longer than they already had.

"How dare he!" Ron yelled. "Who the bloody hell does he think he is? 'Oh I'm Heir Black, I'm a pureblood heir,'" he said in a high-pitched, mocking voice. "'I'm rich, I can do whatever I want. Don't worry about my dad being an evil Death Eater, Potter, I'm not like him I swear'" Ron scowled. "What a load of hippogriff shit. Pureblood heirs are such pieces of shi-"

"Enough, Ron," Neville said, interrupting Ron as he got ready for another rant. "We get it, you hate Slytherins. You think they're all evil. You've said so at least thirty times. _We get it_. Shut up already."

Ron glared at him. "What's wrong, Neville? Why are you defending the ponce?"

"I'm saying I'm tired of you talking about it." Neville said. "Besides, not all pureblood heirs are stuck-up snobs. Or do you think _I'm_ a snob? What about Harry, is he a snob?" Neville ranted, pointing at Harry still sitting on his bed. "Or Susan Bones, Cedric Diggory, or Cho Chang? Or the other hundred rich purebloods that go to this school? Are they all awful too?" Ron just scowled at him stubbornly. "Get your head out of your ass, Weasley. Just because someone is rich, or comes from an old family doesn't mean that they are a terrible person. Do you think that about your own brother Bill? He's the heir to House Weasley," Neville ranted.

Ron's face went purple. "Don't talk about my family, Longbottom! Don't you dare judge me or my brother."

"WHY NOT?" Neville yelled. "You seem perfectly content doing it to everyone else! You're a fucking hypocrite!"

Ron looked at Harry, expecting him to support him against Neville. When Harry didn't say anything, Ron stormed out of the dorm, glaring at both of them as he went.

When he left, Neville sighed deeply and sat on his bed. He looked sheepishly at Harry, and said, "Sorry about that."

"Where did that come from, Neville? I've never heard you do anything like that!" Harry said.

"I don't like it when anyone insults my family or my traditions. Ron just hit a nerve," Neville said. "It may not be to him, but all that is important to a lot of us."

"Who is us? What did Black mean when he said Ancient and Noble Family? Why did he call me Heir Potter?" Harry said quickly. "I don't understand any of this!"

"What do you mean, you don't know? You should have been learning this stuff since you could talk. We all thought you just didn't care about it, especially since you're best friends with Ron. You heard what he thinks about it. Everyone thought you felt the same way, but just didn't say it."

"Neville, I didn't even know I was a wizard before Hagrid told me on my eleventh birthday. I lived with muggles who hate magic, they sure wouldn't teach me any of this stuff."

"Wait, what?" Neville said. "What do you mean, you didn't know you were a wizard? And HAGRID was the one to tell you? Professor McGonagall is the one to talk to the muggleborns who get into Hogwarts, why didn't she do it?"

"I don't know, Neville. I'm not sure about really anything anymore." Harry said. "Why did Black want to talk to me? Should I trust him?"

"It would be dishonorable of him to harm you after asking for parley. Every pureblood, heir or not, wouldn't trust him if he did."

"But what does that _mean_? What's the difference between parley and just talking?" Harry said.

"Parley is incredibly formal, and very rare. Sirius Black is a criminal, and betrayed House Potter, who he previously swore loyalty to. By asking for parley, it means that the Heir Black recognizes these crimes." Neville looked expectantly at Harry, who just looked at him blankly. "Merlin, Harry you don't know about that either? Sirius Black was the one who told You-Know-Who where your parents were. He's the reason they were killed." He said softly. "It was the ultimate betrayal. Before that, Sirius Black and your father, the Lord Potter, were sworn brothers. Hell, Black was named your godfather! He was charged with protecting you at all costs and he gave You-Know-Who everything he needed to murder you and your parents."

"Why the bloody hell should I talk to him then?" Harry said.

"You don't have to. You don't have to acknowledge him in any way, and no one would fault you, not even him." Neville said. "You're the one in charge here. If you want to talk to him, you can. If you want to pretend he doesn't exist, you can. You can even challenge a blood feud if that's what you really want."

"What's a blood feud? Wait, never mind. Not important." Harry said. "What do you think I should do?"

"I would hear him out at the very least." Neville replied. "Then decide. Get all the information you can."

"Good point. But I still don't understand any of this. Will you help me?" Harry asked.

"Of course. You know, House Longbottom and House Potter have been allied for hundreds of years. I thought you wanted to break that alliance when you saw how bad I am at magic and became friends with Ron instead. It never crossed my mind that you didn't know." Neville sat up straighter. "Heir Potter, I swear on my magic that I will help you anyway that I can. Our families were allies once, and it is my hope that they will be again." He slumped again and said, "Merlin's beard, I hate saying the traditional oaths. It's bloody awful if you get them wrong."

"I won't pretend to understand anything that you just did, Neville. But I agree and, uh, accept your oath?" Harry said. At Neville's nod, he continued, "So, where do we start?"


End file.
